The mystery grows surrounding what happened to DNA evidence that could have been tied to Anthony Sowell long before he was arrested as a serial killer.

The Cleveland Heights Police Chief now tells 19 Action News some evidence from a 2009 rape was, in fact, sent out. And it came back within days.

However, last week investigators outside the police department called into question whether any evidence from that case had ever been tested. A woman says she was raped in 2009 by a man named "Tony." She went to Cleveland Heights Police at that time. Then she went to Cleveland Police this year, and Cuyahoga County Prosecutors say they've tied that attack to Anthony Sowell.

Sowell could face the death penalty for killing 11 women. He's also suspected of attacking several others.

The Cleveland Heights Chief says he's waiting for more from an internal investigation to find out exactly what evidence was sent out and what may not have been.

Generally, it takes months for DNA test results. Not days. The state prison system says Sowell's DNA has been in a database since the 90's. So a test in 2009 could have been matched with that and possibly connected him to the Cleveland Heights case.